Adults need to consume over 1200 calories just for their body to carry out the necessary life functions (breathing, digestion, etc). This is called your basal metabolism.
When you're eating 1200 calories per day you will likely lose weight without exercise. So when you add exercise and burn another 500 calories, you leave your body only 700 calories to use for energy throughout your day. This will make you tired and b!tchy, and, over time, your body will go into starvation mode. Our bodies are made for survival and if your body needs calories (aka energy), it will do anything it can to obtain them. When you eat too little, your body will start to eat your muscles for energy and then it will hold on to the stored fat just in case it doesn't get enough calories the next day. When you eat just enough calories for your body, your body is satisfied, and will burn the calories efficiently for energy. You will also have more energy and your muscles will get the proper fuel they need to get stronger and leaner.
Bottom line, when you workout, YES, replace the calories burned, but be sure you are eating healthy calories. Exercise is not an excuse to eat anything you want.
When you create a calorie deficit you are going to lose weight initially. If it is too much of a deficit, you'll lose for a couple weeks and your body may go back to hoarding fat and leveling off...this is why you should reassess your calorie intake every couple of weeks. After you put on muscle, you need MORE calories to maintain it - it sounds scary but necessary.. Think about it, if muscle burns more calories than fat, you need more calories to maintain it - it is active tissue - fat is not.
Listening to your body is very important too! If you're cutting back on calories, working out, and are well hydrated but are always tired, one of the reasons could be because you've cut out too many calories. Adding in one more apple a day, or a piece of string cheese could make the world of difference.
Calories are a balancing act - what works for some will not work for all. It is a matter of making small changes, tracking your food intake and tweaking where necessary. We can get you started. Give us a shout.
